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Letter from the benifit fraud team

Hi everyone,

Sorry I am new to net mums but I received a letter today that reads, dear .... from time to time the council require to check the tenancy of our properties. I would therefore like to carry out a routine check. Please contact me to arrange a visit. Kind regards.....’

This letter if from the ‘Benifit fraud investigation team.

Do I need to be worried and does anyone have experience with this?

Thanks

Comments

  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,970 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Ruby8 wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    Sorry I am new to net mums but I received a letter today that reads, dear .... from time to time the council require to check the tenancy of our properties. I would therefore like to carry out a routine check. Please contact me to arrange a visit. Kind regards.....’

    This letter if from the ‘Benifit fraud investigation team.

    Do I need to be worried and does anyone have experience with this?

    Thanks
    This is MSE forums and not net mums. You will need to ring to arrange this, if you don't then they could stop your housing benefit.

    They may want to check who lives in the property with you. Have you done something wrong? should be the first question. If you haven't then you don't have anything to worry about. Just answer the questions honestly when they do visit.
  • Ruby8 wrote: »

    Do I need to be worried?

    Thanks


    If you are claiming illegally then yes, you should be very worried. If you are not, then no.
  • TELLIT01
    TELLIT01 Posts: 18,518 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper PPI Party Pooper
    The letter states that it's a routine check rather than investigation of a report of potential fraud, so that is probably what it is - routine. If you abiding by the rules of the tenancy there is nothing to worry about.
  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    This is common. The Council do visit all their homes to see who is living there - in the main they are mostly looking to discover where tenants have sublet the property and moved out ... illegally retaining the Council house, moving in with a bf/family, then pocketing the huge rent they are charging on the private rental market.

    While they will also be keeping an eye out for other situations, that's their main focus.

    Some tenants, in high rent areas, left the property up to 10 years ago and have been renting them out illegally and pocketing vast sums of cash, while claiming to still live there.

    Other signs might be the rolls royce on your driveway that belongs to the live-in bf/husband you've not declared to them.

    98% of what the visit will be about will be a 10 minute pop round to see if you look like the person on their books and if your situation looks as they expected.

    It also gives them the chance to spot if somebody's "struggling".... e.g. if they came round and found it ceiling to floor/wall to wall full of hoarded goods while you were sitting/living/sleeping in an armchair and hadn't been able to get to the kitchen for clutter for 10 years.... they get few of these discoveries, but it happens.

    So it's nothing to worry about for 98% of people.
  • DCFC79
    DCFC79 Posts: 40,644 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    It sounds like nothing to worry about, if you are being honest with what you claim, phone them and arrange a time for them to come.
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